Clarification on Public Domain Dedication

Hi,

I'm hoping to get clarification on the CC Public Domain
dedication process.

I am designing a website that will include a filesharing
area.  The  
aim is for the files shared to be freely usable by the
downloaders  
(public).

I plan to designate (and label) the entire filesharing area
as  
dedicated to the public domain... as well as identifying
each uploaded  
file as having been dedicated to the public domain (with CC
graphic  
and link).

Here's where I get confused.

[A] Is it important for users to go through the CC process
of  
obtaining a public domain dedication receipt for their
works?  Must I  
integrate the actual CC registration process into my upload
mechanism?  
  If so, is there an API available somewhere to help
accomplish this?

[B] Or would it suffice for me to alert users during the
upload  
process that the act of uploading constitutes agreement on
the  
uploader's part that all rights to the work will be
relinquished and  
the work contributed to the public domain and labeled as
such?  
(something to that effect;  this would be elaborated on in
the site  
terms)

Thanks in advance.  Guidance will be appreciated.

Pam
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> [A] Is it important for users to go through the CC
process of
> obtaining a public domain dedication receipt for their
works?  Must I
> integrate the actual CC registration process into my
upload mechanism?
>   If so, is there an API available somewhere to help
accomplish this?

I am not a lawyer, so I can't comment on whether you need to
go
through the process for each upload.  I am a software
engineer, so I
can point you to http://api.creativecom
mons.org for information on
integrating the license process.

You should also be aware that the Public Domain dedication
may not be
valid outside the United States.

Nathan

>
> [B] Or would it suffice for me to alert users during
the upload
> process that the act of uploading constitutes agreement
on the
> uploader's part that all rights to the work will be
relinquished and
> the work contributed to the public domain and labeled
as such?
> (something to that effect;  this would be elaborated on
in the site
> terms)
>
> Thanks in advance.  Guidance will be appreciated.
>
> Pam
> _______________________________________________
> cc-community mailing list
> cc-communitylists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/cc-community

>
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pamweb-function.com wrote:
> I'm hoping to get clarification on the CC Public Domain
dedication process.

I am not a lawyer, and this may all be a myth. But there is
very popular
belief among free software and free culture advocates that
it is legally
easier to apply a very liberal license than to dedicate
something to the
public domain. (Though this is surely counterintuitive).

Usually, the "Attribution" term presents no real
burden on users, and
most people want to know where a work comes from anyway
(people don't
claim to have written "Alice in Wonderland", or
omit Lewis Carroll's
name, simply because the work is in the public domain now).

Cheers,
Terry

-- 
Terry Hancock (hancockAnansiSpaceworks.com)
Anansi Spaceworks http://www.AnansiSpac
eworks.com

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